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USA vs. Mexico preview: Gold Cup Final promises fiery game between red hot rivals It seems that the theme for the U.S. at this Gold Cup has been, 6-1 thrashing of Martinique aside, winning ugly. Two of the three Group Stage games finished 1-0 (against Haiti and Canada). Then the quarterfinal against Jamaica finished 1-0. And so naturally then the semi-final against Qatar played out the same way, with the Qataris applying the bulk of the pressure (even being awarded a penalty that was skied over the bar) before the U.S. found a second straight late winner (this time from Gyasi Zardes) to eke out yet another 1-0 victory. While the results have been good, the performance for the Final will need to be much better. It’s the matchup that the fans want, the broadcasters want, and the matchup that CONCACAF most definitely wants. It’s USA vs. Mexico. The U.S. performance for this Gold Cup is somewhat similar to their performance at the 2019 Gold Cup. That year, the U.S. was a much more dynamic in attack, scoring a total of 15 goals on their way to the final. But they were quite stout defensively, only allowing two goals the entire tournament (in the semi-final against Jamaica and in the final against Mexico). This year they have not been nearly as good in front of goal, with only 10 goals (the bulk of those coming in one game against Martinique) but they have been every bit as good at keeping the ball out of their goal as they were two years ago, having only conceded once through five games at this tournament. They also have a ton of positive momentum on their side, perhaps the first time since the heady days of 2013 where the results on the field translated into true belief from the fans. The U.S. rolls into the final, riding an eight game winning streak and has won 13 of their last 14 (the lone loss coming in May in a friendly away to Switzerland). Dating back even farther, since the absolute debacle that was a 2-0 loss to Canada in October of 2019, the U.S. is unbeaten in 17 of their last 18 games. Along the way they even managed to win a trophy, defeating Mexico in the inaugural Nations League final. Now they face Mexico with another trophy on the line and a win is vital if the U.S. is to keep the good times rolling with World Cup Qualifying starting in September. While the U.S. hasn’t been the best version of itself at this tournament, neither has Mexico. This is quite surprising for El Tri as they brought a team thought by many to be close to their full A squad, while the U.S. brought a B or even C squad. They topped their group and have reached the final but they haven’t made it look easy. They started the tournament off with a dud, drawing 0-0 against Trinidad & Tobago. They then seemed to have everything in order as they dispatched Guatemala 3-0. Things got interesting in the Group Stage finale as they squeaked past a resurgent El Salvador, 1-0. They again seemed to right the ship in the quarter-finals against Honduras where a 12 minute blitz in the first half saw them put three past the Catrachos and never look back. But the semi-final against Canada was a nervy affair in which El Tri took the lead, conceded a spectacular goal to Tajon Buchanan, missed a penalty, and then grab a last gasp winner in extra time through Hector Herrera. Their run to this final is not dissimilar from their 2015 tournament where they stumbled all the way to the final before finally figuring it out and lifting the trophy (though odds are that Tata Martino keeps his job after this tournament as he seems far less likely than Miguel Herrera to attack reporters at the airport). Notes: 1. This is the first ever appearance by the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) in Las Vegas, though Mexico has played here as recently as 2017, a friendly against Iceland in front of 30,617. 2. This is the second straight USA/Mexico Gold Cup Final, after the preceding three only featured one of the two teams. 3. This is the first game the USMNT has played in the month of August since a friendly against Bosnia & Herzegovina in 2013 When and where to watch games on US TV Sunday, August 1, 2021 Allegiant Stadium Las Vegas, Nevada 9pm ET Live on FS1, Univision, TUDN and fuboTV All-Time Series USA trails 20-36-15 Last Meeting Sunday, June 6, 2021 Empower Field at Mile High Denver, Colorado USA 3-2 Mexico (extra time) Current FIFA Ranking Mexico: 11 USA: 20 Next Game Thursday, September 2, 2021 World Cup Qualifying El Salvador vs. USA Estadio Cuscatlan San Salvador, El Salvador

It seems that the theme for the U.S. at this Gold Cup has been, 6-1 thrashing of Martinique aside, winning ugly. Two of the three Group Stage games finished 1-0 (against Haiti and Canada). Then the quarterfinal against Jamaica finished 1-0. And so naturally then the semi-final against Qatar played out the same way, with the Qataris applying the bulk of the pressure (even being awarded a penalty that was skied over the bar) before the U.S. found a second straight late winner (this time from Gyasi Zardes) to eke out yet another 1-0 victory. While the results have been good, the performance for the Final will need to be much better. It’s the matchup that the fans want, the broadcasters want, and the matchup that CONCACAF most definitely wants. It’s USA vs. Mexico. The U.S. performance for this Gold Cup is somewhat similar to their performance at the 2019 Gold Cup. That year, the U.S. was a much more dynamic in attack, scoring a total of 15 goals on their way to the final. But they we

Juve confident of signing Locatelli after ‘suitable offer’ to Sassuolo Milan (AFP) – Juventus are confident of signing Italian midfielder Manuel Locatelli after making a “suitable offer” to Serie A rivals Sassuolo, the Turin club’s director Pavel Nedved said on Saturday. Locatelli, 23, burst into the limelight as a replacement for injured Marco Verratti during Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph scoring a brace in the group stage against Switzerland. “We want the player and he wants us, we are convinced that our offer is good and fair,” Nedved said before Saturday’s 2-1 win over Serie B club Monza in the Berlusconi Trophy. Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri wants Locatelli for his midfield and the former AC Milan player is also keen to move to Turin despite the offer reported to be considerably less than his rating at 40 million euros ($47 million). “We have presented a suitable offer in line with the current climate, also with Covid. We are waiting confidently, we want to bring him to Juventus,” added Nedved.

Milan (AFP) – Juventus are confident of signing Italian midfielder Manuel Locatelli after making a “suitable offer” to Serie A rivals Sassuolo, the Turin club’s director Pavel Nedved said on Saturday. Locatelli, 23, burst into the limelight as a replacement for injured Marco Verratti during Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph scoring a brace in the group stage against Switzerland. “We want the player and he wants us, we are convinced that our offer is good and fair,” Nedved said before Saturday’s 2-1 win over Serie B club Monza in the Berlusconi Trophy. Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri wants Locatelli for his midfield and the former AC Milan player is also keen to move to Turin despite the offer reported to be considerably less than his rating at 40 million euros ($47 million). “We have presented a suitable offer in line with the current climate, also with Covid. We are waiting confidently, we want to bring him to Juventus,” added Nedved. from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3xmHsOk

Postecoglou starts Celtic league reign with Hearts defeat Glasgow (AFP) – Australian Ange Postecoglou lost his first Scottish Premiership game in charge of Celtic on Saturday as promoted Hearts grabbed a late 2-1 victory. Postecoglou, who arrived from J-League club Yokohama F. Marinos this summer, suffered a second defeat in four days after being knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Danish side Midtjylland in the second round of qualifying. The home side made their top-flight return after being relegated in 2020 following a season curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gary Mackay-Steven gave the hosts the lead after eight minutes after the visitors failed to clear inside their own box. Two miscued defensive clearances sandwiched either side of Liam Boyce’s touch ended up at Mackay-Steven’s feet and he cooly slotted home. Celtic’s best chance of the half fell to Liel Abada but the Israel winger sent his effort above the bar after a tidy cut inside from the right flank. The former European Cup winners equalised 10 minutes after the break. Anthony Ralston slalomed into the heart of the home defence after Odsonne Edouard’s lay-off and the 22-year-old right-back rifled home a finish with his weaker foot. Hearts’ John Souttar came close to his side’s second with 12 minutes left but the away side’s goalkeeper Scott Bain reached down low to parry away the defender’s powerful header. Postecoglou made attacking substitutions in the closing moments including bringing Japan winger Kyogo Furuhashi on for Abada but it was Hearts who scored the winner. Michael Smith sent a deep looping free-kick into the box and Souttar went one better than earlier in the half to score his first goal since April 2019 with an 89th-minute effort. Earlier, champions Rangers beat Livingstone 3-0, promoted Dundee drew 2-2 at home to St Mirren and Ross County and St Johnstone played out a goalless draw.

Glasgow (AFP) – Australian Ange Postecoglou lost his first Scottish Premiership game in charge of Celtic on Saturday as promoted Hearts grabbed a late 2-1 victory. Postecoglou, who arrived from J-League club Yokohama F. Marinos this summer, suffered a second defeat in four days after being knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Danish side Midtjylland in the second round of qualifying. The home side made their top-flight return after being relegated in 2020 following a season curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gary Mackay-Steven gave the hosts the lead after eight minutes after the visitors failed to clear inside their own box. Two miscued defensive clearances sandwiched either side of Liam Boyce’s touch ended up at Mackay-Steven’s feet and he cooly slotted home. Celtic’s best chance of the half fell to Liel Abada but the Israel winger sent his effort above the bar after a tidy cut inside from the right flank. The former European Cup winners equalised 10 minutes aft

Mystery soccer trading cards package featuring 1939 cigarette card and GOATs [VIDEO] Come watch us open a mystery package of soccer trading cards to see what we find – including two greatest players of all time, a 1939 cigarette card and rookie cards of future stars. The mystery pack was purchased via Twitter from LAFC radio commentator Dave Denholm. We had no idea what was included in the package, other than that Dave was going to make a selection of valuable cards in there that would be worth the purchase (and more). As you’ll see from the video below, we weren’t disappointed with what we found. Take a look, and feel free to browse through our series of other articles and videos about soccer trading cards and stickers that we’ve been running all summer. Articles from our series focused on soccer trading cards and stickers: • Soccer trading cards: Why it’s time to consider investing in the hobby • What makes soccer trading cards valuable, and why and how to get them graded • Collecting Panini’s Euro 2020 stickers is a perfect accompaniment to watching the tournament • Where to buy soccer trading cards, and how hobby and retail boxes are different Videos: Unboxing of soccer cards and stickers • 2020/21 Obsidian soccer cards • 2020/21 Topps Museum Collection: UEFA Champions League • 2018/19, 2019/20 & 2020/21 Topps Bundesliga stickers • 2020/21 Panini Prizm Premier League trading cards • Euro 2020 Panini stickers • Panini Chronicles box break featuring Neymar autograph • Orbis World Cup 1990: The greatest soccer sticker album of all time

Come watch us open a mystery package of soccer trading cards to see what we find – including two greatest players of all time, a 1939 cigarette card and rookie cards of future stars. The mystery pack was purchased via Twitter from LAFC radio commentator Dave Denholm. We had no idea what was included in the package, other than that Dave was going to make a selection of valuable cards in there that would be worth the purchase (and more). As you’ll see from the video below, we weren’t disappointed with what we found. Take a look, and feel free to browse through our series of other articles and videos about soccer trading cards and stickers that we’ve been running all summer. Articles from our series focused on soccer trading cards and stickers: • Soccer trading cards: Why it’s time to consider investing in the hobby • What makes soccer trading cards valuable, and why and how to get them graded • Collecting Panini’s Euro 2020 stickers is a perfect accompaniment to watching the

Staging French football curtain raiser a ‘win’ for Israel, says organiser Sylvan Adams Tel Aviv (AFP) – Staging Sunday’s French Champions Trophy between cup winners Paris Saint-Germain and league champions Lille in Israel may be controversial — but the man behind the Tel Aviv showdown says the country can only benefit. Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams has brought the high-profile French football season-opener to Israel, and the Canadian-born entrepreneur says the host nation will emerge a winner from staging the contest regardless of which side lifts the trophy. Bringing the game to Tel Aviv puts a sports diplomacy feather in Israel’s cap, according to the founder of the Israel Start Up Nation cycling team, who is also an investor in Formula One. “The reason we are able to host the match here is that we are a little ahead of the curve in terms of Covid. So the match will be played in a full stadium, something the players missed last season in France,” Adams told AFP in an interview. Sixty percent of Israel’s population are fully vaccinated, meaning a 27,000 capacity crowd is expected at the Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa, the usual home ground of Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Holding international games in Israel has encountered criticism from Palestinians. Earlier in July, the Israeli owner of the Beitar Jerusalem team cancelled a friendly match against FC Barcelona, saying the Spanish giants refused to play in Jerusalem. The Palestinian Football Association had urged Barcelona to avoid playing in Jerusalem, writing in a letter that Beitar’s fans were anti-Arab racists and that their soccer stadium was built over the ruins of a destroyed Palestinian village. The association added that the Israeli team would be hosting some events in occupied east Jerusalem, which should have been under Palestinians’ jurisdiction. PFA vice president Susan Shalabi said the match in Tel Aviv did not raise similar challenges. “If they’re doing it in Israel proper, then it’s not our business,” she told AFP. Adams accepts Sunday’s game was bound to attract a certain amount of controversy but says “I like to think it’s a small group of people making a lot of noise only because of social media.” Adams, 62, was born in Quebec after his father Marcel fled Nazi labour camps in Romania during World War II, briefly living in what was then UK-mandated Palestine before heading to Canada. He insists his adoptive country is “open, tolerant, imbued with diversity and very democratic” and rejects the “horrible word apartheid”. “We have Arab police, doctors, nurses. There are Arab Israeli who represent Israel abroad, Arab Israeli lawmakers in the Knesset (parliament) and now an Arab party in the ruling coalition. That is the real story… and we only want to show the true face of Israel,” the entrepreneur insists. “Sometimes people ask, Sylvan, aren’t you mixing politics and sport? I reply, not at all. I am not politicking, I am not interested in politics, For me, politics is a partisan activity.” He defines his own activities as “diplomacy.” “Sport is a language everybody speaks,” he says. “Using sport for a positive diplomatic objective such as deepening ties with our neighbours in the Middle East or staging a football match in Israel is sporting diplomacy. And I plead guilty to that!”

Tel Aviv (AFP) – Staging Sunday’s French Champions Trophy between cup winners Paris Saint-Germain and league champions Lille in Israel may be controversial — but the man behind the Tel Aviv showdown says the country can only benefit. Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams has brought the high-profile French football season-opener to Israel, and the Canadian-born entrepreneur says the host nation will emerge a winner from staging the contest regardless of which side lifts the trophy. Bringing the game to Tel Aviv puts a sports diplomacy feather in Israel’s cap, according to the founder of the Israel Start Up Nation cycling team, who is also an investor in Formula One. “The reason we are able to host the match here is that we are a little ahead of the curve in terms of Covid. So the match will be played in a full stadium, something the players missed last season in France,” Adams told AFP in an interview. Sixty percent of Israel’s population are fully vaccinated, meaning a 27,000 capacity

Mir hits hat-trick to send Spain into Olympic semi with Japan Miyagi (Japan) (AFP) – Substitute Rafa Mir hit a hat-trick as Spain finally saw off Ivory Coast 5-2 in extra time in the Tokyo Olympics men’s football on Saturday to set up a semi-final with hosts Japan. Brazil defeated Egypt 1-0 thanks to a first-half strike by Matheus Cunha and will play Mexico in the other last-four clash. Both matches are on Tuesday. The Spaniards are one of the gold medal favourites after naming a strong squad featuring six members of the team that reached the Euro 2020 semi-finals. But they suffered a major fright before reaching the last four at the pandemic-delayed Games, even if the scoreline suggested otherwise. Spain were just minutes from going out when forward Max Gradel’s deflected strike made it 2-1 to the Ivorians in the 91st minute of normal time. But the Spaniards responded almost immediately, Wolves forward Mir lashing in from close range to force extra time, just a minute after coming on. Manchester United defender Eric Bailly then conceded a penalty for handball after the intervention of VAR, with Mikel Oyarzabal stroking the ball in for a 3-2 Spain lead in the 98th minute. Mir struck twice in the dying minutes to put extra gloss on the scoreline and claim the match ball for himself. Japan’s quarter-final with New Zealand was a far tighter affair with the score deadlocked at 0-0 after 120 cagey minutes. New Zealand had only two shots on target all match. The hosts kept their nerve in the penalty shootout and the Kiwis missed twice from the spot, sending Japan through 4-2 on penalties. Rampant Mexico stormed past South Korea 6-3 in a quarter-final goalfest to set up a date with Brazil, the reigning Olympic champions. Henry Martin and Sebastian Cordova both scored twice for the Mexicans.

Miyagi (Japan) (AFP) – Substitute Rafa Mir hit a hat-trick as Spain finally saw off Ivory Coast 5-2 in extra time in the Tokyo Olympics men’s football on Saturday to set up a semi-final with hosts Japan. Brazil defeated Egypt 1-0 thanks to a first-half strike by Matheus Cunha and will play Mexico in the other last-four clash. Both matches are on Tuesday. The Spaniards are one of the gold medal favourites after naming a strong squad featuring six members of the team that reached the Euro 2020 semi-finals. But they suffered a major fright before reaching the last four at the pandemic-delayed Games, even if the scoreline suggested otherwise. Spain were just minutes from going out when forward Max Gradel’s deflected strike made it 2-1 to the Ivorians in the 91st minute of normal time. But the Spaniards responded almost immediately, Wolves forward Mir lashing in from close range to force extra time, just a minute after coming on. Manchester United defender Eric Bailly then conceded a

‘Bitter’ PSG face nemesis Lille in Tel Aviv Paris (AFP) – French Cup winners Paris Saint-Germain can exact revenge on league champions Lille in the Tel Aviv-hosted French Champions Trophy on Sunday as Mauricio Pochettino embarks on his first full season at the helm of the club. The Argentine has warned whoever lines up in any match for the Parisians this season must play to win, and rather than gain revenge on anyone the club had to buck its own ideas up. PSG take on the modest team that pipped them to the title last season without many of their top stars, nor even their new signings Spanish defender Sergio Ramos or Italian ‘keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Neymar is still in Brazil but French striker Kylian Mbappe, Italian midfielder Marco Verratti and Argentine winger Angel Di Maria are all back at the club. Dutch midfielder Xavi Simmons has been earning rave reviews in the warm-ups and Pochettino says he won’t shy away from change. “We’ll have a look Saturday to decide who travels and who doesn’t,” said Pochettino. “It’s not so much a revenge match against Lille as a revenge match against ourselves,” said the coach. “Losing the title, losing in the Champions League semis left us with a bitter taste in our mouths,” Pochettino said at the Parc des Princes before the team embark for Israel. “We want to win all the competitions,” he insisted. “We don’t have our best team, but we are allowed no excuses, he said. “As coach of this team I don’t want to see any other side line out as favourites.” Lille won Ligue 1 by a single point to end a three-year run from the Parisians, who lost eight league games and took only one point from their two matches with Lille. After celebrations that caused police to block off the city centre, the club lost their coach Christophe Galtier to Nice while French international goalkeeper Mike Maignan left them to join AC Milan. “We’ll remember winning the title forever, but now we have to look forwards,” club captain Jose Fonte said. Lille, who now have former Bordeaux and Guingamp coach Jocelyn Gourvennec at the helm, are promising to fight for the ‘Trophy’ with Fonte pointing to a relatively bare cabinet as ample motivation. “It’s a real title, and Lille doesn’t have too many of those,” he said. “It’ll be a nice one to put in the shop window,” he said. Unlike others Fonte said he had never considered leaving Lille. “It was important for me to stay here at Lille and try and write a new chapter in the history of the club,” the 37-year-old Portuguese said.

Paris (AFP) – French Cup winners Paris Saint-Germain can exact revenge on league champions Lille in the Tel Aviv-hosted French Champions Trophy on Sunday as Mauricio Pochettino embarks on his first full season at the helm of the club. The Argentine has warned whoever lines up in any match for the Parisians this season must play to win, and rather than gain revenge on anyone the club had to buck its own ideas up. PSG take on the modest team that pipped them to the title last season without many of their top stars, nor even their new signings Spanish defender Sergio Ramos or Italian ‘keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Neymar is still in Brazil but French striker Kylian Mbappe, Italian midfielder Marco Verratti and Argentine winger Angel Di Maria are all back at the club. Dutch midfielder Xavi Simmons has been earning rave reviews in the warm-ups and Pochettino says he won’t shy away from change. “We’ll have a look Saturday to decide who travels and who doesn’t,” said Pochettino. “It’s n

Arsenal swoop for ‘£50 million’ Brighton defender White London (AFP) – Arsenal have signed England defender Ben White from Premier League rivals Brighton, the London club announced on Friday. The 23-year-old, a member of England’s Euro 2020 squad, has now completed a medical. Although no fee, nor the exact length of a “long-term” deal has been disclosed, British media reports suggest White has moved to the capital for a fee of £50 million ($70 million). “Ben was a top target for us and it’s great that we’ve completed his signing,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told the club’s website. “Ben has been educated with two very good clubs, Brighton and Leeds, in recent seasons. He has benefitted well from two very good coaching set-ups and has shown with both Brighton and on loan with Leeds what a strong talent he is.” White played 36 games for Brighton last season. “We are incredibly proud of him and what he has achieved and much credit must go to our academy, who have played such an important role in developing Ben from a younger age,” said Brighton manager Graham Potter.

London (AFP) – Arsenal have signed England defender Ben White from Premier League rivals Brighton, the London club announced on Friday. The 23-year-old, a member of England’s Euro 2020 squad, has now completed a medical. Although no fee, nor the exact length of a “long-term” deal has been disclosed, British media reports suggest White has moved to the capital for a fee of £50 million ($70 million). “Ben was a top target for us and it’s great that we’ve completed his signing,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told the club’s website. “Ben has been educated with two very good clubs, Brighton and Leeds, in recent seasons. He has benefitted well from two very good coaching set-ups and has shown with both Brighton and on loan with Leeds what a strong talent he is.” White played 36 games for Brighton last season. “We are incredibly proud of him and what he has achieved and much credit must go to our academy, who have played such an important role in developing Ben from a younger age,” sa

Qatar impresses in Gold Cup but unease still exists about country hosting World Cup On Thursday, Qatar was defeated in the Concacaf Gold Cup semifinal to the United States. Despite the loss, the Qatar national team impressed a lot of neutrals during the tournament with their positive, attacking play and fast pace. With the World Cup taking place in Qatar next year, the semifinal provided the U.S. with an early introduction to opponents in the first-ever match between the two countries. However, over the last decade, most of the world has already been exposed to Qatar for all the wrong reasons. As hosts of the next FIFA World Cup, the fallout to the selection of the Gulf nation (home to only 2.9 million people) has intensified recently, with several European nations (including Norway, Germany and the Netherlands) protesting during international soccer matches in March, wearing shirts with “Human Rights” written on them. Talks have even begun regarding a potential boycott of the competition. Whether an actual boycott occurs is another matter, but these recent protests, from some of the most successful soccer countries in the world, should be enough to make FIFA realize it has a potential problem on its hands. What if Germany, winners of four men’s World Cups (three as West Germany), chooses not to send its national team to Qatar? What if other nations decide to follow? What happens then? In order to prevent this catastrophic development, FIFA must undo its decision to make Qatar the host. Past and present facts and dilemmas make this the best option for the world. According to a published report by The Guardian in February, it was revealed that over 6,500 migrant workers died in Qatar over the last decade, while working on building the infrastructure needed in time to the 2022 World Cup. The report also indicated the number of deaths (primarily “natural deaths,” such as heart or respiratory failure) is most likely higher. Additionally, according to Amnesty International, widespread abuses toward migrant workers have been commonplace in Qatar. These include poor working conditions, uninhabitable living quarters, lack of payments, the prevention of labor unions, and constant penalties and abuses by the employers. Most of these workers are legally bound to their bosses and are prevented from leaving the country and visiting their families. It is essentially modern-day slavery. These revelations are shocking and disgraceful. The World Cup should not be played in a country where thousands of foreign workers are dying just to build stadiums and train stations. The world cannot be expected to look the other way for a month-long tournament and expect everything to be fine, while the best soccer players in the world are competing against one another. Some things are bigger than sports, and this is one of them. Qatar should not be rewarded for this gross malpractice and negligence toward human life. World Soccer Talk Podcast · Interview with Jonathan Calvert about FIFA corruption Qatar is also a discriminatory nation, where women and the LGBT community are not provided with adequate freedoms. It is difficult for women to obtain independence from their husbands, as they are bound to their spouses through Qatari codified law. Homosexuality is also punishable, with a potential imprisonment of one to three years. Is this really a place where FIFA wants to host the global, inclusive sport of soccer for the entire world to witness? Qatar should also not host the World Cup due to the disgusting acts of corruption undertaken within FIFA, while awarding the tournament to the nation. In April 2020, it was alleged by the United States Department of Justice that Qatari officials bribed members of FIFA to make the country the 2022 host. Prior investigations into corruption have led to the jailing of some previous FIFA members and worldwide soccer bans for others, including the organization’s former president Sepp Blatter. Clearly, hosting rights “won” from corruption and dirty machinations must be revoked. Why should Qatar be allowed to continue to host the World Cup, when it is clear it does not deserve to? If it is established that the nation bribed its way to hosting the tournament, then surely it should lose this right immediately. This is a golden opportunity for FIFA to clear its name and begin a path of reconciliation past the dark ages of the last decade. READ MORE: Are we numb to FIFA scandals? A review of ‘The Ugly Game’ book While national abuses and corruption should be enough to rescind Qatar’s hosting privilege, another factor that comes into consideration is the timing of the tournament. The 2022 World Cup is set to be played during the winter, for the first time in history. This is due to the abnormally hot Qatari summers, where average temperatures can range from 86 to 109 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, the 2022-23 domestic seasons (primarily in Europe) will have to pause, to make room for the World Cup. This will cause the participating athletes to experience even more matches, which will continue to drain their energy levels over an increasingly congested calendar year. After a long and arduous 2020-21, where teams and players experienced virtually no preseason and a multitude of matches per week, adding a taxing international tournament in the middle of a season is not a good idea. The toll and impact it will have on the some of the world’s most talented athletes may be catastrophic. If FIFA strips Qatar as 2022 hosts, this problem of having a winter World Cup will immediately end. FIFA faces a reckoning. Continue to support an unethical 2022 World Cup or make a stand and remove Qatar as hosts. It is not too late, as the tournament is 16 months away; there is still time for another nation (with stadiums and infrastructure already built) to take up the mantle. FIFA has an opportunity to make the right decision, but will it?

On Thursday, Qatar was defeated in the Concacaf Gold Cup semifinal to the United States. Despite the loss, the Qatar national team impressed a lot of neutrals during the tournament with their positive, attacking play and fast pace. With the World Cup taking place in Qatar next year, the semifinal provided the U.S. with an early introduction to opponents in the first-ever match between the two countries. However, over the last decade, most of the world has already been exposed to Qatar for all the wrong reasons. As hosts of the next FIFA World Cup, the fallout to the selection of the Gulf nation (home to only 2.9 million people) has intensified recently, with several European nations (including Norway, Germany and the Netherlands) protesting during international soccer matches in March, wearing shirts with “Human Rights” written on them. Talks have even begun regarding a potential boycott of the competition. Whether an actual boycott occurs is another matter, but these recent pr

European loss emphasises scale of Postecoglou’s task at Celtic Glasgow (AFP) – If new Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou needed any reminding, this week’s Champions League qualifying defeat by Midtjylland underlined the size of the job facing the Australian as heads into his first Scottish Premiership season. Last term, Celtic’s bid for a record-breaking 10th successive Scottish title wasn’t simply ended by Rangers but overwhelmed, with the Hoops finishing a mammoth 25 points behind in second place as their unbeaten arch Glasgow rivals were crowned champions. Celtic are justly proud of being the first British club to win what was then the European Cup in 1967. But Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Danish club Midtjylland, which sealed a 3-2 aggregate defeat, meant that for the fourth season in a row they had exited European football’s premier club competition in the qualifying rounds. “Catastrophic means the end — it’s far from the end,” newly-arrived Postecoglou said after the game. “It’s been suggested that the club is falling apart. That’s not the case. I can’t ask more of the players. I take responsibility, I don’t blame people.” Nevertheless, it was hardly a result to inspire confidence ahead of Saturday’s league opener away to Hearts, with the fact that the average age of the back four who started in Denmark was 21 a testament to Celtic’s lack of experience. Hopes of rebuilding early in the transfer window were effectively ended by Celtic’s lengthy and ultimately unsuccessful pursuit of former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, following the February resignation of Neil Lennon, leaving Postecoglou with little time to bring in new recruits. – ‘Unfair pressure’ – Postecoglou, however, is set to have Sweden centre-back Carl Starfelt available for Saturday’s trip to Edinburgh, while it is possible that fellow new arrival Kyogo Furuhashi, a Japan forward, could feature as well. “He is doing his quarantine down in London but is out on early release and we have sent one of our guys down to help him, so he is doing individual sessions and this is his last day,” Postecoglou said Friday of Furuhashi. Postecoglou, who joined Celtic from J-League club Yokohama F. Marinos, guided Australia to their first Asian Cup triumph in 2015, added: “I think it’s been a bit unfair the pressure I have exposed some of our younger defenders to so far…It’s good to get Carl here, I think it’s a boost for the whole squad. “Even to get Nir Bitton back (from suspension) also helps because when you are starting off in these challenging circumstances, you rely on the experienced ones to be able to cope with whatever pressures are around.” The Australian manager has already made his feelings clear about the lack of transfer activity, but he struck a conciliatory tone on Friday by saying chief executive Dominic McKay was confronting the issue. “I am pushing as hard as I can and everyone at the club, including Dom, is doing everything they can to make sure we conclude some deals in the next short period,” he said. Rangers could face a Scottish media blackout given that, in a departure from the tradition of free access, they are trying to charge newspapers and media organisations a reported £25,000 ($35,000) for one reporter and one photographer to attend matches and pre-game press conferences. But the main on-field concern for a side managed by Liverpool great Steven Gerrard will be to back-up last season’s performance. Rangers have made no major signings ahead of Saturday’s match against Livingston at Ibrox, with ex-England midfielder Gerrard saying: “The squad is really strong as it stands. If there’s not a need to add to it, I won’t do it, but it’s something we’ll consider in the coming weeks.” St Johnstone won both major domestic cup competitions last season and that is where other SPL clubs might be looking for success given it is now more than 35 years since a team other than Rangers or Celtic won the Scottish title.

Glasgow (AFP) – If new Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou needed any reminding, this week’s Champions League qualifying defeat by Midtjylland underlined the size of the job facing the Australian as heads into his first Scottish Premiership season. Last term, Celtic’s bid for a record-breaking 10th successive Scottish title wasn’t simply ended by Rangers but overwhelmed, with the Hoops finishing a mammoth 25 points behind in second place as their unbeaten arch Glasgow rivals were crowned champions. Celtic are justly proud of being the first British club to win what was then the European Cup in 1967. But Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Danish club Midtjylland, which sealed a 3-2 aggregate defeat, meant that for the fourth season in a row they had exited European football’s premier club competition in the qualifying rounds. “Catastrophic means the end — it’s far from the end,” newly-arrived Postecoglou said after the game. “It’s been suggested that the club is falling apart. That’s not the cas

USA beat Netherlands on penalties to reach Olympic women’s football semis Tokyo (AFP) – Megan Rapinoe scored the winning penalty after goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher saved two spot-kicks as the United States defeated the Netherlands 4-2 in a shootout following a 2-2 draw to remain on course for a fifth Olympic women’s football title. Vivianne Miedema fired the Dutch ahead in Yokohoma but two quick goals from Samantha Mewis and Lynn Williams put the USA in control in a repeat of the 2019 World Cup final, won by the Americans. Miedema scored her second of the night to level early in the second half but Lieke Martens saw her late penalty saved by Naeher, with both sides having goals ruled out for offside in extra time. The USA lost to Sweden in a 2016 quarter-final but converted all four attempts this time, with Naeher denying Miedema and Aniek Nouwen to send the world champions through to a semi-final clash against neighbours Canada. Earlier, Sam Kerr scored twice as Australia beat Team GB 4-3 after extra time to reach the last four, while 2016 bronze medallists Canada edged Brazil on penalties following a goalless draw. Britain appeared on course for the semi-finals as two second-half goals from Ellen White gave them a 2-1 lead after Alanna Kennedy headed the Australians ahead in Kashima. Kerr equalised in the 89th minute to force extra time, with Australia goalkeeper Teagan Micah saving Caroline Weir’s penalty before Mary Fowler’s deflected strike put the Matildas in front. Kerr powered in a header to extend Australia’s advantage and it proved crucial as White completed her hat-trick with five minutes to play. Australia will meet Sweden on Monday for a place in the final. Goals from Magda Eriksson and Stina Blackstenius plus Kosovare Asllani’s penalty secured Sweden a 3-1 victory over hosts Japan in Saitama. Canada defeated Brazil 4-3 in a penalty shootout in Rifu. Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe saved the final two Brazilian spot-kicks from Andressa and Rafaelle after Christine Sinclair failed with Canada’s first attempt.

Tokyo (AFP) – Megan Rapinoe scored the winning penalty after goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher saved two spot-kicks as the United States defeated the Netherlands 4-2 in a shootout following a 2-2 draw to remain on course for a fifth Olympic women’s football title. Vivianne Miedema fired the Dutch ahead in Yokohoma but two quick goals from Samantha Mewis and Lynn Williams put the USA in control in a repeat of the 2019 World Cup final, won by the Americans. Miedema scored her second of the night to level early in the second half but Lieke Martens saw her late penalty saved by Naeher, with both sides having goals ruled out for offside in extra time. The USA lost to Sweden in a 2016 quarter-final but converted all four attempts this time, with Naeher denying Miedema and Aniek Nouwen to send the world champions through to a semi-final clash against neighbours Canada. Earlier, Sam Kerr scored twice as Australia beat Team GB 4-3 after extra time to reach the last four, while 2016 bronze medallist

Manchester United’s Rashford to have shoulder surgery London (AFP) – Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is to undergo shoulder surgery, the Premier League giants announced Friday, and could now miss the opening months of the new season. The 23-year-old has long had shoulder trouble, nursing the injury for much of last season and during his involvement in Euro 2020, where Rashford was one of several England players who missed a penalty in a shootout loss to Italy in the final. But he could now be out of action until October at the earliest, with a United statement saying: “Following consultation between Marcus, the manager, club medical staff and specialists, Marcus will undergo surgery imminently to resolve his shoulder injury. “He will now focus on his rehabilitation in order to return as soon as possible.” United begin their Premier League season at home to Leeds on August 14, and it could be that Rashford also misses up to five World Cup qualifiers with England. Rashford, speaking about his fitness during the Euros last month, accepted he had not been in peak form during the second half of a 2020/21 season where United finished as runners-up to Premier League champions and local rivals Manchester City. “Obviously I am not performing at my best and what I know I can perform to,” Rashford said at the time. “Whatever that is down to, it doesn’t really matter because it has been going on since early on in the season. I managed to get through the season with United. “I think I had 36 goal involvements, so I can’t look back at the year and say ‘mmm, I should have taken time off to do this and do that’. That’s just not the way I look at things. I just want to be available for every game.”

London (AFP) – Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is to undergo shoulder surgery, the Premier League giants announced Friday, and could now miss the opening months of the new season. The 23-year-old has long had shoulder trouble, nursing the injury for much of last season and during his involvement in Euro 2020, where Rashford was one of several England players who missed a penalty in a shootout loss to Italy in the final. But he could now be out of action until October at the earliest, with a United statement saying: “Following consultation between Marcus, the manager, club medical staff and specialists, Marcus will undergo surgery imminently to resolve his shoulder injury. “He will now focus on his rehabilitation in order to return as soon as possible.” United begin their Premier League season at home to Leeds on August 14, and it could be that Rashford also misses up to five World Cup qualifiers with England. Rashford, speaking about his fitness during the Euros last mo

Australia stun Team GB as Canada make Olympic women’s football semis Tokyo (AFP) – Sam Kerr scored twice as Australia beat Team GB 4-3 after extra time Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Olympic women’s football tournament, while Canada edged Brazil on penalties following a goalless draw. Britain appeared on course for the last four as two second-half goals from Ellen White gave them a 2-1 lead after Alanna Kennedy headed the Australians ahead in Kashima. Kerr equalised in the 89th minute to force extra time, with Australia goalkeeper Teagan Micah saving Caroline Weir’s penalty before Mary Fowler’s deflected strike put the Matildas in front. Kerr powered in a header to extend Australia’s advantage and it proved crucial as White completed her hat-trick with five minutes to play. Australia will meet Sweden on Monday for a place in the final. Goals from Magda Eriksson and Stina Blackstenius plus Kosovare Asllani’s penalty secured Sweden a 3-1 victory over hosts Japan in Saitama. Canada defeated Brazil 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw after 120 minutes in Rifu. Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe saved the final two Brazilian spot-kicks from Andressa and Rafaelle after Christine Sinclair failed with Canada’s first attempt. The Canadians, bronze medallists at the past two Olympics, await four-time champions the United States or the Netherlands in the second semi-final.

Tokyo (AFP) – Sam Kerr scored twice as Australia beat Team GB 4-3 after extra time Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Olympic women’s football tournament, while Canada edged Brazil on penalties following a goalless draw. Britain appeared on course for the last four as two second-half goals from Ellen White gave them a 2-1 lead after Alanna Kennedy headed the Australians ahead in Kashima. Kerr equalised in the 89th minute to force extra time, with Australia goalkeeper Teagan Micah saving Caroline Weir’s penalty before Mary Fowler’s deflected strike put the Matildas in front. Kerr powered in a header to extend Australia’s advantage and it proved crucial as White completed her hat-trick with five minutes to play. Australia will meet Sweden on Monday for a place in the final. Goals from Magda Eriksson and Stina Blackstenius plus Kosovare Asllani’s penalty secured Sweden a 3-1 victory over hosts Japan in Saitama. Canada defeated Brazil 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a goall

Where to find USA vs. Netherlands on US TV and streaming If you’re trying to find out how you can watch USA vs. Netherlands on US TV in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, you’ve come to the right place. For viewers in the US, USA vs. Netherlands will be shown on TV and streaming (more details below). Match: USA vs. Netherlands Kickoff: Friday, 7am ET Looking to watch USA vs. Netherlands online from your work, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action. We Recommend: US Only. Here are all of the details of where you can watch it on television and via legal streaming: Who: USA vs. Netherlands What: Tokyo 2020 Olympics When: Game kicks off at 7am ET / 4am PT; Friday, July 30, 2021 Where: Live on NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV, Hulu Live and Sling Blue (free trial) With fuboTV, you can watch USA vs. Netherlands and tons more Tokyo 2020 Olympic games with a 7-day trial. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, Apple TV or hook it up to your TV with Google Chromecast. Now with fuboTV, you can stream NBCSN, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2 as well as beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, NBC (in select cities), CNBC, USA, FOX (in select cities), FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports Net, RAI Italia, Telemundo, Univision, Univision Deportes, UniMas, Eleven Sports, CBS, CSN, RAI Italia and YES. Plus fuboTV, the legal streaming service, also streams Liga MX, World Cup, Women’s World Cup, MLS, UEFA Champions League (in Spanish), Europa League (in Spanish), Primeira Liga, Ligue Un, World Cup qualifiers, select USMNT games, select USWNT games, select Mexico games, select England games and more. The fuboTV app is available for Windows PC, Mac, Apple iPhone, Apple iPad, Apple TV, Android smartphones, Android tablets, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Kindle. Courtesy of World Soccer Talk, download a complimentary copy of The Ultimate Soccer TV And Streaming Guide, which features details on where to watch all of the leagues from around the world on US TV and streaming. SEE MORE: Schedule of Olympics soccer games on US TV and streaming To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch USA vs. Netherlands on US TV in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, you’ve come to the right place. For viewers in the US, USA vs. Netherlands will be shown on TV and streaming (more details below). Match: USA vs. Netherlands Kickoff: Friday, 7am ET Looking to watch USA vs. Netherlands online from your work, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action. We Recommend: US Only. Here are all of the details of where you can watch it on television and via legal streaming: Who: USA vs. Netherlands What: Tokyo 2020 Olympics When: Game kicks off at 7am ET / 4am PT; Friday, July 30, 2021 Where: Live on NBCSN, Telemundo, fuboTV , Hulu Live and Sling Blue (free trial) With fuboTV , you can watch USA vs. Netherlands and tons more Tokyo 2020 Olympic games with a 7-day trial. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet,

Can ESPN grow LaLiga in the United States? World Soccer Talk Podcast In the NEW episode, number 228, Christopher Harris and co-host Kartik Krishnaiyer cover a range of topics including: • ESPN tasked with growing LaLiga in United States – can they do it? With the broadcaster having spent 1.4 billion dollars on the rights to the Spanish league until 2029, ESPN has made a major investment in trying to grow LaLiga. Yes, Barcelona and Real Madrid are already household names, but will the broadcaster be able to attract a large number of new fans? And if so, how will they do it? We can expect to hear more from ESPN in the coming weeks, but the other discussion point is what ESPN’s acquisition of LaLiga rights means for their coverage of the other leagues they have the rights to, and the other rights they may bid on, which could open up opportunities for CBS Sports and Paramount+ to acquire more rights that ESPN used to have in the past. • In a story that we broke first, the U.S. rights to the Scottish Premiership are on the move again. The top-flight Scottish league has bounced around so many different streaming providers in recent years, but their new home now has the league for the next four seasons. Will it have an impact on growing the audience in the United States? We debate the topic on this podcast. • With the world of cord cutting becoming more the norm, how has this impacted our viewing of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and its coverage of soccer and other sports? We go into more detail about what our experiences have been like. • We also discuss the steps that Qatar have made to turn their national team into a force, as well as discussing whether fans of the United States Men’s National Team will ever be satisfied with the performances of the team in competitions. Is the bar raised too high? • We delve into a number of other topics too, including why Borussia Dortmund and PSG have so many fans in the United States, but the viewership numbers for those games don’t match up with the interest in the team. Listen to the show via the player above or via this link. Launched in 2006, the World Soccer Talk Podcast is the longest running podcast on the planet. Every week, we share the latest news about watching soccer on television and streaming, in addition to discussing what we like and dislike, and featuring your questions and feedback in our Listener Mailbag segment. HEAR MORE: Listen to our archive featuring hundreds of soccer interviews Send in your questions, comments and feedback via e-mail web@worldsoccertalk.com, via Twitter (@worldsoccertalk) or Facebook. We’ll read them out on-air in the next episode. Here are the different ways you can listen to the World Soccer Talk Podcast: • Listen to all of our episodes of the World Soccer Talk Podcast on Spotify, • Listen to the World Soccer Talk Podcast on Pandora app and website, • Subscribe to the World Soccer Talk Podcast on Stitcher, • Subscribe to the podcast via Google Play, • Listen via the World Soccer Talk website, or visit the World Soccer Talk Podcasts page • Subscribe to the World Soccer Talk Podcast on iTunes, • Add the World Soccer Talk Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader, • Listen to the World Soccer Talk Podcast on TuneIn, Overcast, Spreaker, YouTube and Audioboom.

In the NEW episode, number 228, Christopher Harris and co-host Kartik Krishnaiyer cover a range of topics including: • ESPN tasked with growing LaLiga in United States – can they do it? With the broadcaster having spent 1.4 billion dollars on the rights to the Spanish league until 2029, ESPN has made a major investment in trying to grow LaLiga. Yes, Barcelona and Real Madrid are already household names, but will the broadcaster be able to attract a large number of new fans? And if so, how will they do it? We can expect to hear more from ESPN in the coming weeks, but the other discussion point is what ESPN’s acquisition of LaLiga rights means for their coverage of the other leagues they have the rights to, and the other rights they may bid on, which could open up opportunities for CBS Sports and Paramount+ to acquire more rights that ESPN used to have in the past. • In a story that we broke first, the U.S. rights to the Scottish Premiership are on the move again. The top-flight Scott

Van Dijk returns for Liverpool after nine months London (AFP) – Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk returned to action for the first time in nine months in a pre-season friendly on Thursday. The 30-year-old suffered knee ligament damage in the Merseyside derby against Everton in October. He subsequently missed the rest of the season as Liverpool were dethroned as Premier League champions as well as the delayed Euro 2020 event. On Thursday, he came on as a 69th-minute substitute in Liverpool’s 4-3 friendly defeat to German side Hertha Berlin in Austria. “It’s hard to express how I am feeling, but it’s important to me that I say I feel blessed to have had the support of so many incredible people. The surgeon, my physios, coaches and staff who have been with me in my corner since day one,” tweeted the Dutchman after the game. “My teammates for giving me energy and keeping my head up. The fans for their love, support and encouragement. And most of all, my family because without them, I’d be nothing. Thank you. The work doesn’t stop now. It’s only just starting. We keep going!” Also making his return on Thursday was fellow centre-back Joe Gomez who suffered a season-ending knee injury on England duty also in October last year.

London (AFP) – Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk returned to action for the first time in nine months in a pre-season friendly on Thursday. The 30-year-old suffered knee ligament damage in the Merseyside derby against Everton in October. He subsequently missed the rest of the season as Liverpool were dethroned as Premier League champions as well as the delayed Euro 2020 event. On Thursday, he came on as a 69th-minute substitute in Liverpool’s 4-3 friendly defeat to German side Hertha Berlin in Austria. “It’s hard to express how I am feeling, but it’s important to me that I say I feel blessed to have had the support of so many incredible people. The surgeon, my physios, coaches and staff who have been with me in my corner since day one,” tweeted the Dutchman after the game. “My teammates for giving me energy and keeping my head up. The fans for their love, support and encouragement. And most of all, my family because without them, I’d be nothing. Thank you. The work doesn’t stop

MLS Canadian clubs will finish home matches in Canada New York (AFP) – Major League Soccer’s three Canadian squads will play their remaining 2021 home games in Canada, the league announced Thursday, after teams started the season playing out of US venues. Covid-19 safety and travel restrictions between Canada and the United States forced CF Montreal, Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps to begin their campaigns playing home matches on American soil so they could face US rivals. Teams were given limited approval to return to their Canadian venues earlier this month before the Canadian government approved a National Interest Exemption allowing all MLS players to compete in cross-border matches, provided they follow strict safety protocols. Traveling players and staff will need to undergo Covid-19 testing before traveling into Canada and upon arrival regardless of vaccination status. Those not fully vaccinated will be required to follow a modified quarantine protocol. After a negative Covid-19 test, such personnel can participate in practices and matches but otherwise cannot attend functions through the remainder of a 14-day quarantine period or until they leave the nation. MLS said Thursday that 96% of players and club staff who work closely with the teams are fully vaccinated. Montreal, which played a home match in Canada before 5,000 spectators on July 17, played early season home matches at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while Toronto played out of Orlando and Vancouver played out of the home venue of Real Salt Lake. Montreal ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference at 6-5 with four drawn for 22 points with Toronto 11th on 13 points and a record of 3-8 with four drawn. Vancouver ranks 12th in the Western conference at 3-7 with five drawn for 14 points.

New York (AFP) – Major League Soccer’s three Canadian squads will play their remaining 2021 home games in Canada, the league announced Thursday, after teams started the season playing out of US venues. Covid-19 safety and travel restrictions between Canada and the United States forced CF Montreal, Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps to begin their campaigns playing home matches on American soil so they could face US rivals. Teams were given limited approval to return to their Canadian venues earlier this month before the Canadian government approved a National Interest Exemption allowing all MLS players to compete in cross-border matches, provided they follow strict safety protocols. Traveling players and staff will need to undergo Covid-19 testing before traveling into Canada and upon arrival regardless of vaccination status. Those not fully vaccinated will be required to follow a modified quarantine protocol. After a negative Covid-19 test, such personnel can participate in

West Ham sign PSG goalkeeper Areola on loan London (AFP) – West Ham have signed goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, the English Premier League club announced Thursday. The 28-year-old France international’s deal will see him stay with the Hammers on an initial season-long move but with the option to make his switch permanent after the end of the campaign. Areola spent last season with fellow London club Fulham and will now compete with Lukasz Fabianski to be West Ham’s first-choice goalkeeper. As well as their domestic commitments, West Ham will be playing in the Europa League next season. “Alphonse is an experienced and talented goalkeeper who has played at the highest level and performed very well in the Premier League last season,” said West Ham manager David Moyes. “As we prepare for a very busy schedule, he will provide fantastic competition for the goalkeepers already at the club.”

London (AFP) – West Ham have signed goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, the English Premier League club announced Thursday. The 28-year-old France international’s deal will see him stay with the Hammers on an initial season-long move but with the option to make his switch permanent after the end of the campaign. Areola spent last season with fellow London club Fulham and will now compete with Lukasz Fabianski to be West Ham’s first-choice goalkeeper. As well as their domestic commitments, West Ham will be playing in the Europa League next season. “Alphonse is an experienced and talented goalkeeper who has played at the highest level and performed very well in the Premier League last season,” said West Ham manager David Moyes. “As we prepare for a very busy schedule, he will provide fantastic competition for the goalkeepers already at the club.” from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3l9nG6h

Celtic’s Starfelt ready for SPL opener after quarantine Glasgow (AFP) – Celtic defender Carl Starfelt has given the under-fire Hoops a boost by insisting he is ready for this weekend’s opening match of the new Scottish Premier League season after a spell in quarantine. The Swedish centre-back had to isolate following his move from Russian club Rubin Kazan and will train with his new team-mates for the first time on Friday. In his absence, Celtic — the first British team to win the then European Cup in 1967 — had teenager Dane Murray making his first start alongside 21-year-old Stephen Welsh in central defence during a 2-1 loss away to Midtjylland on Wednesday that saw the Glasgow giants knocked out in the Champions League qualifiers. That match in Denmark went to extra-time, increasing the likelihood that the 26-year-old will make his Celtic debut away to Edinburgh club Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday. “I had to be in quarantine for a time, so obviously it was very tough to see the boys play and not to be able to train with the team and help the team, so I’m very glad to be here finally and I can’t wait to get started,” Starfelt told Celtic TV. “It will be nice to meet the team and learn how the team wants to play, to meet the coach and get into everything. “If the coach wants to play me, I will, of course, play and give 100 percent, so that’s up to coach whether I play or not. I’ve been training the last few days and I feel ready.” Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou appears to be at the start of a major rebuild, with fans desperate to see the club regain the SPL title from arch-rivals Rangers. Wednesday’s loss condemned Celtic to a Europa League qualifier against Czech side Jablonec, with recently-appointed Australian boss Postecoglou insisting: “I don’t get to present inquests, I have just got to get on with the job. “We have a very important game on Saturday, we want to start our league campaign in a strong manner.” He added: “We will get some reinforcements in, which I think will help, because the players worked awfully hard. We will need to get a couple of fresh legs in. “All we can do is focus on the next challenge and the next challenge is Saturday at Hearts.”

Glasgow (AFP) – Celtic defender Carl Starfelt has given the under-fire Hoops a boost by insisting he is ready for this weekend’s opening match of the new Scottish Premier League season after a spell in quarantine. The Swedish centre-back had to isolate following his move from Russian club Rubin Kazan and will train with his new team-mates for the first time on Friday. In his absence, Celtic — the first British team to win the then European Cup in 1967 — had teenager Dane Murray making his first start alongside 21-year-old Stephen Welsh in central defence during a 2-1 loss away to Midtjylland on Wednesday that saw the Glasgow giants knocked out in the Champions League qualifiers. That match in Denmark went to extra-time, increasing the likelihood that the 26-year-old will make his Celtic debut away to Edinburgh club Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday. “I had to be in quarantine for a time, so obviously it was very tough to see the boys play and not to be able to train with the team

Skinner replaces Stoney as Man Utd women’s boss London (AFP) – Marc Skinner was on Thursday named head coach of Manchester United’s women’s team in succession to Casey Stoney. The 38-year-old Skinner resigned from his role as boss of US side Orlando Pride last week, leading to speculation he was about to take over at the Women’s Super League club. His appointment has now been confirmed, with Skinner signing a two-year contract that includes an option for a further year. “I’m looking forward to working closely with the staff and this talented group of players,” said Skinner. “Our focus is to build on everything they have already achieved in the women’s game. “It’s an exciting opportunity to lead the team into what will be another competitive WSL season. I want us to achieve success together and our aim is to give the fans a team they can continue to be proud of,” added Skinner, who led Birmingham into the WSL before joining National Women’s Soccer League outfit Orlando in 2019. Former England international Stoney, also 38, stepped down in May after three years in charge. Stoney guided the team to the Championship title following their launch as a professional outfit in 2018. However, following a second successive fourth-placed finish in the WSL this season she has decided to step aside. “Marc is a coach with proven pedigree in the WSL and we are delighted he is joining the club and returning to the league after his recent time in the US,” said Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. “Our commitment to the continued development and success of the women’s team is total, and we see Marc’s appointment, along with the talented squad and players recruited this summer, as key to that process.”

London (AFP) – Marc Skinner was on Thursday named head coach of Manchester United’s women’s team in succession to Casey Stoney. The 38-year-old Skinner resigned from his role as boss of US side Orlando Pride last week, leading to speculation he was about to take over at the Women’s Super League club. His appointment has now been confirmed, with Skinner signing a two-year contract that includes an option for a further year. “I’m looking forward to working closely with the staff and this talented group of players,” said Skinner. “Our focus is to build on everything they have already achieved in the women’s game. “It’s an exciting opportunity to lead the team into what will be another competitive WSL season. I want us to achieve success together and our aim is to give the fans a team they can continue to be proud of,” added Skinner, who led Birmingham into the WSL before joining National Women’s Soccer League outfit Orlando in 2019. Former England international Stoney, also 38, step

New Africa Cup of Nations draw date set Johannesburg (AFP) – The draw for the rescheduled 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon will be held in Yaounde on August 17, the organisers said on Thursday. It was originally set for June 25 in the Cameroonian capital only to be delayed by coronavirus pandemic issues. The 24-team premier African football tournament has twice been postponed because of Covid-19 and is now due to kick off on January 9 and conclude on February 6. Algeria will defend a trophy they won in Cairo two years ago by defeating Senegal 1-0 in the final through an early goal from Baghdad Bounedjah. Cameroon are hosting the Cup of Nations for the first time since 1972, when only eight countries competed and Congo Brazzaville triumphed. The other 22 qualifiers are Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Comoros, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Johannesburg (AFP) – The draw for the rescheduled 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon will be held in Yaounde on August 17, the organisers said on Thursday. It was originally set for June 25 in the Cameroonian capital only to be delayed by coronavirus pandemic issues. The 24-team premier African football tournament has twice been postponed because of Covid-19 and is now due to kick off on January 9 and conclude on February 6. Algeria will defend a trophy they won in Cairo two years ago by defeating Senegal 1-0 in the final through an early goal from Baghdad Bounedjah. Cameroon are hosting the Cup of Nations for the first time since 1972, when only eight countries competed and Congo Brazzaville triumphed. The other 22 qualifiers are Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Comoros, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, Sudan and Zimbabwe. from World Soccer Tal

Where to find USA vs. Qatar on US TV and streaming If you’re trying to find out how you can watch USA vs. Qatar on US TV in the Gold Cup, you’ve come to the right place. For viewers in the US, USA vs. Qatar will be shown on TV and streaming (more details below). Match: USA vs. Qatar Kickoff: Thursday, 7:30pm ET Looking to watch USA vs. Qatar online from your work, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action. We Recommend: US Only. Here are all of the details of where you can watch it on television and via legal streaming: Who: USA vs. Qatar What: Gold Cup When: Game kicks off at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT; Thursday, July 29, 2021 Where: Live on FS1, Univision, TUDN, fuboTV, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV and Vidgo With fuboTV, you can watch USA vs. Qatar and tons more Gold Cup games with a 7-day trial. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire or hook it up to your TV with Google Chromecast. Now with fuboTV, you can stream NBCSN, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2 as well as beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, NBC (in select cities), CNBC, USA, FOX (in select cities), FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports Net, RAI Italia, Telemundo, Univision, Univision Deportes, UniMas, Eleven Sports, CBS, CSN, RAI Italia and YES. Plus fuboTV, the legal streaming service, also streams Olympics, Liga MX, World Cup, Women’s World Cup, MLS, UEFA Champions League (in Spanish), Europa League (in Spanish), Primeira Liga, Ligue Un, World Cup qualifiers, select USMNT games, select USWNT games, select Mexico games, select England games and more. Courtesy of World Soccer Talk, download a complimentary copy of The Ultimate Soccer TV And Streaming Guide, which features details on where to watch all of the leagues from around the world on US TV and streaming. To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch USA vs. Qatar on US TV in the Gold Cup, you’ve come to the right place. For viewers in the US, USA vs. Qatar will be shown on TV and streaming (more details below). Match: USA vs. Qatar Kickoff: Thursday, 7:30pm ET Looking to watch USA vs. Qatar online from your work, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action. We Recommend: US Only. Here are all of the details of where you can watch it on television and via legal streaming: Who: USA vs. Qatar What: Gold Cup When: Game kicks off at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT; Thursday, July 29, 2021 Where: Live on FS1, Univision, TUDN, fuboTV , Sling Blue , Hulu + Live TV and Vidgo With fuboTV , you can watch USA vs. Qatar and tons more Gold Cup games with a 7-day trial. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire or hook it up to your TV

USA vs. Qatar preview: Gold Cup Final awaits victor in first meeting between two countries Much like most of the Group Stage (and much like the Gold Cup quarter-final two years ago against Curacao) the US looked somewhat sluggish and disjointed during the bulk of Sunday’s game against Jamaica. And just like the Group Stage and the quarter-final two years ago the US were able to secure a 1-0 win, this time with a late winner from Matthew Hoppe. At the end of the day it’s a results oriented business and the US has been racking up the wins for quite some time now (12 wins in the last 13 games). But for any of those other wins to truly matter and finally prove to the fans that this team is for real, the US needs to win two more games and lift another trophy. The next step towards accomplishing that goal is against a surprise Qatar team in the Gold Cup semi-finals. The run of form the US is in right is quite impressive. In fact, since the ugly 2-0 loss to Canada in the Nations League back in October of 2019 the US has been on absolute fire posting a record of 15 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw. They are currently on a seven game winning streak, the longest such stretch since winning twelve games in a row back during the heady days of 2013. However, many of the wins during that stretch have scores that would indicate the US has not been as dominant as the streak would suggest. Most of the wins have been by a single goal and during this current seven game win streak, four of those wins have come 1-0, including three so far at this tournament. While the wins are nice, the performances have to be better or else there will be a sense that the US played with fire for far too long before finally getting burned. Seeing a team like Qatar in the Gold Cup has left many fans scratching their heads as to why they’re here (as hosts of the 2022 World Cup it seems that FIFA felt it would be a good idea to have them play in as many competitive games as possible). But this is not the first time Qatar has been a guest team and a tournament of this type as back in 2019 they were guests at the Copa America in Brazil where they finished last in a group with Colombia, Argentina, and Paraguay. At the Gold Cup however, they’ve been the surprise of the tournament as they’ve basically run roughshod over their CONCACAF foes. They topped Group D with 7 points following a 3-3 draw with Panama, a 4-0 thumping of Grenada, and a solid 2-0 over Honduras. In the quarter-finals they were matched up with another surprise team in El Salvador and went up 3-0 only to see El Salvador pull two back and set up a nervy finish that the Qataris were able to see out and lock up their spot in the semis. Their manager is Felix Sanchez who is from Barcelona but has spent almost his entire coaching career in Qatar with their youth national teams until taking the full-time job in July of 2017. To date he’s posted a record of 36-16-10 (W-L-D). The roster for the Qataris is entirely domestic based with the bulk of the players coming from club Al-Sadd. The man to watch is 30 year old Hassan Al-Haydos who has amassed a whopping 144 caps and tacked on 32 goals. Notes: 1. This is the USMNT’s first appearance in Austin, Texas but it won’t be the last as they return fairly soon for a World Cup Qualifier against Jamaica in October. 2. This is the first time that the US has played an opponent from the Asian Football Confederations since a January Camp friendly against South Korea in 2014. When and where to watch the game on US TV Thursday, July 29, 2021 Q2 Stadium Austin, Texas 7:30pm ET Live on FS1, Univision, TUDN and fuboTV All-Time Series First Meeting Current FIFA Ranking USA: 20 Qatar: 58 Next Game TBD

Much like most of the Group Stage (and much like the Gold Cup quarter-final two years ago against Curacao) the US looked somewhat sluggish and disjointed during the bulk of Sunday’s game against Jamaica. And just like the Group Stage and the quarter-final two years ago the US were able to secure a 1-0 win, this time with a late winner from Matthew Hoppe. At the end of the day it’s a results oriented business and the US has been racking up the wins for quite some time now (12 wins in the last 13 games). But for any of those other wins to truly matter and finally prove to the fans that this team is for real, the US needs to win two more games and lift another trophy. The next step towards accomplishing that goal is against a surprise Qatar team in the Gold Cup semi-finals. The run of form the US is in right is quite impressive. In fact, since the ugly 2-0 loss to Canada in the Nations League back in October of 2019 the US has been on absolute fire posting a record of 15 wins, 1 loss, a

‘Falling apart?’: Celtic crash out of Champions League in Denmark Paris (AFP) – Celtic failed in their latest Champions League campaign Wednesday, going down 2-1 after extra-time and 3-2 on aggregate at Denmark’s Midtjylland in the second qualifying round with defiant coach Ange Postecoglou insisting: “I take responsibility.” Celtic, the first British club ever to be crowned European champions in 1967, getting in a year ahead of Manchester United, had only themselves to blame as they squandered the lead to drop into the far less lucrative Europa League, where they will now take on Czech side Jablonec. “Catastrophic means the end — it’s far from the end,” newly-arrived Postecoglou said. “It’s been suggested that the club is falling apart. That’s not the case. I can’t ask more of the players. I take responsibility, I don’t blame people.” Callum McGregor fired in a scorcher to give them hope, volleying home following a corner to put Celtic ahead three minutes after half-time. James Forrest should then have all but killed the tie, only to fluff a gilt-edged chance for the visitors just after coming on. The Glaswegians lived to regret that as Midtjylland drew level just after the hour as Awer Mabil, with 17 Australia caps to his credit, headed beyond keeper Scott Bain. Celtic promptly fell behind on the night and on aggregate four minutes into the first period of extra-time, Raphael Onyedika firing home from close range amid confusion in the Celtic defence after a freekick routine. The Danes now go on to face experienced Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven, who won 2-1 away at Turkey’s Galatasaray for a 7-2 aggregate success, in the third qualifying round. Celtic must now recover in time for this weekend’s start of the Scottish Premiership season. They face Hearts on Saturday. In other games, Sparta Prague came from 2-1 down in the away leg to oust Rapid Vienna with a 2-0 home return and 1991 European champions Red Star Belgrade thrashed the Kazakhs of Kairat 5-0 to advance 6-2. Elsewhere, Greek side Olympiakos won 1-0 at Neftchi Baku of Azerbaijan to complete a 2-0 victory. Moldova’s Sheriff Tiraspol saw off Armenia’s Alashkert 3-1 to advance 4-1 overall and Romania’s Cluj were too strong for Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps, who succumbed 2-0 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate. Bulgaria’s Ludogorets put out NS Mura of Slovenia 3-1 on the night and on aggregate while Swiss side Young Boys Berne edged Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava 3-2 on Wednesday after the first game ended goalless.

Paris (AFP) – Celtic failed in their latest Champions League campaign Wednesday, going down 2-1 after extra-time and 3-2 on aggregate at Denmark’s Midtjylland in the second qualifying round with defiant coach Ange Postecoglou insisting: “I take responsibility.” Celtic, the first British club ever to be crowned European champions in 1967, getting in a year ahead of Manchester United, had only themselves to blame as they squandered the lead to drop into the far less lucrative Europa League, where they will now take on Czech side Jablonec. “Catastrophic means the end — it’s far from the end,” newly-arrived Postecoglou said. “It’s been suggested that the club is falling apart. That’s not the case. I can’t ask more of the players. I take responsibility, I don’t blame people.” Callum McGregor fired in a scorcher to give them hope, volleying home following a corner to put Celtic ahead three minutes after half-time. James Forrest should then have all but killed the tie, only to fluff a g

Celtic crash out of Champions League in Denmark Copenhagen (AFP) – Celtic failed in their latest Champions League campaign Wednesday, going down 2-1 after extra-time at Denmark’s Midtjylland as the Scots crashed out in the second round of qualifying 3-2 on aggregate. Celtic, the first British club ever to be crowned European champions in 1967, getting in a year ahead of Manchester United, had only themselves to blame as they squandered the lead to drop into the far less lucrative Europa League, where they will now take on Czech side Jablonec. Callum McGregor fired in a scorcher to give them hope, volleying home following a corner to put Celtic ahead three minutes after half-time. James Forrest should then have all but killed the tie, only to fluff a gilt-edged chance for the visitors just after coming on. The Glaswegians, under their new Australian coach Ange Postecoglou, lived to regret that as Midtjylland drew level just after the hour as Awer Mabil, with 17 Australia caps to his credit, headed beyond keeper Scott Bain. Celtic promptly fell behind on the night and on aggregate four minutes into the first period of extra-time, Raphael Onyedika firing home from close range amid confusion in the Celtic defence after a freekick routine. The Danes now go on to face experienced Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven, who won 2-1 away at Turkey’s Galatasaray for a 7-2 aggregate success, in the third qualifying round. In other games, Sparta Prague came from 2-1 down in the away leg to oust Rapid Vienna with a 2-0 home return and 1991 European champions Red Star Belgrade thrashed the Kazakhs of Kairat 5-0 to advance 6-2. Elsewhere, Greek side Olympiakos won 1-0 at Neftchi Baku of Azerbaijan to complete a 2-0 victory. Moldova’s Sheriff Tiraspol saw off Armenia’s Alashkert 3-1 to advance 4-1 overall and Romania’s Cluj were too strong for Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps, who succumbed 2-0 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate. Bulgaria’s Ludogorets put out NS Mura of Slovenia 3-1 on the night and on aggregate while Swiss side Young Boys Berne edged Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava 3-2 on Wednesday after the first game ended goalless.

Copenhagen (AFP) – Celtic failed in their latest Champions League campaign Wednesday, going down 2-1 after extra-time at Denmark’s Midtjylland as the Scots crashed out in the second round of qualifying 3-2 on aggregate. Celtic, the first British club ever to be crowned European champions in 1967, getting in a year ahead of Manchester United, had only themselves to blame as they squandered the lead to drop into the far less lucrative Europa League, where they will now take on Czech side Jablonec. Callum McGregor fired in a scorcher to give them hope, volleying home following a corner to put Celtic ahead three minutes after half-time. James Forrest should then have all but killed the tie, only to fluff a gilt-edged chance for the visitors just after coming on. The Glaswegians, under their new Australian coach Ange Postecoglou, lived to regret that as Midtjylland drew level just after the hour as Awer Mabil, with 17 Australia caps to his credit, headed beyond keeper Scott Bain. Cel

Chelsea sign goalkeeper Bettinelli from neighbours London (AFP) – Chelsea have signed goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli on a free transfer, the Premier League club announced Wednesday. The 29-year-old left nearby west London side Fulham at the end of last season after making more than 100 appearances in over a decade with the Cottagers. Bettinelli has now agreed a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge where he will compete for the goalkeeping position with Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga. “It’s always been a special club. I know the area very well so it’s been a dream of mine to come over to this side and it’s finally happened,” former England Under-21 international Betinelli told Chelsea’s website. “There were some talks a few years ago when I was a bit younger and for whatever reason that didn’t come about but I’m here now,” added Bettinelli, whose arrival at Chelsea follows the departure of Argentinian goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

London (AFP) – Chelsea have signed goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli on a free transfer, the Premier League club announced Wednesday. The 29-year-old left nearby west London side Fulham at the end of last season after making more than 100 appearances in over a decade with the Cottagers. Bettinelli has now agreed a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge where he will compete for the goalkeeping position with Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga. “It’s always been a special club. I know the area very well so it’s been a dream of mine to come over to this side and it’s finally happened,” former England Under-21 international Betinelli told Chelsea’s website. “There were some talks a few years ago when I was a bit younger and for whatever reason that didn’t come about but I’m here now,” added Bettinelli, whose arrival at Chelsea follows the departure of Argentinian goalkeeper Willy Caballero. from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3zPK0pN

CBS Sports and Paramount+ to broadcast at least 85 Scottish games per season CBS Sports today announced a multi-year agreement for CBS Sports and Paramount+ to become the exclusive U.S. home of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL). CBS Sports will present at least 85 matches annually through 2024-2025 from the cinch Premiership – the top division of the SPFL – as well as the second-division cinch Championship and the Premier Sports Cup (aka Scottish League Cup). Coverage begins on Saturday, July 31, with select matches throughout the deal streaming exclusively on Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ subscription streaming service, and others airing exclusively on CBS Sports Network. As part of the multi-platform deal, CBS Sports will feature every Old Firm match between Rangers and Celtic, as well as a weekly program with highlights from across the league. “We are looking forward to presenting the action from the Scottish Professional Football League, highlighted by the iconic Old Firm rivalry,” said Dan Weinberg, Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports. “The SPFL is an elite soccer league and a key addition in our growing portfolio of global soccer rights, and we are excited to capitalize on our digital and cable platforms to bring these matches to fans across Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network.” READ MORE: How to watch soccer via Paramount+ “This deal with CBS Sports will ensure that even more football fans across the world will have access to our competitions,” said Neil Doncaster, SPFL chief executive. “This is great news for Scottish football and a strong indication of the continuing appeal that our game holds on the global stage. Paramount+, a leading destination for U.S. soccer fans, now features more than 2,000 live matches each year. The extensive portfolio of soccer properties includes UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League; NWSL; The Women’s Cup; Concacaf national team competitions including coverage of the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams (Men’s World Cup Qualifiers, Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, Men’s Nations League and Women’s Nations League); Italy’s Serie A; Argentina’s Liga Profesional de Fútbol; Brazil’s Campeonato Brasileirão Série A; and AFC competitions (AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar, AFC Champions League, AFC Women’s Asian Cup and AFC Asian Cup). World Soccer Talk Podcast · CBS scores a home run with Clint Dempsey CBS Sports Network, the 24-hour home of CBS Sports, is widely available through all major cable, satellite and telco distributors as well as via OTT streaming service providers YouTube TV, fuboTV, DirecTV and Hulu. Additionally, a live CBS Sports Network stream is available through CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App by authenticating with select providers. For more information, including a full programming schedule, go to https://ift.tt/17POmIL. CBS Sports Digital will also provide additional coverage throughout the season on a variety of platforms, including CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports app, and CBS Sports HQ, the 24/7 streaming sports news service. Additional coverage details for future matches will be announced on a rolling basis. Scottish Premiership TV schedule All times Eastern USA Saturday, July 31 08:30 am EDT Rangers vs. Livingston Paramount+ 03:00 pm EDT Hearts vs. Celtic Paramount+ Sunday, August 1 11:30 am EDT Motherwell vs. Hibernian Paramount+ Saturday, August 7 07:30 am EDT Dundee United vs. Rangers CBS Sports Network, fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV Sunday, August 22 07:00 am EDT Dundee vs. Hibernian CBS Sports Network, fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV Sunday, August 29 07:00 am EDT Rangers vs. Celtic CBS Sports Network, fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV Saturday, September 11 07:30 am EDT St Johnstone vs. Rangers CBS Sports Network, fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV Sunday, September 12 07:00 am EDT Hearts vs. Hibernian Paramount+ Sunday, September 19 07:00 am EDT Dundee United vs. Dundee Paramount+ Sunday, September 26 07:00 am EDT St Mirren vs. Aberdeen Paramount+

CBS Sports today announced a multi-year agreement for CBS Sports and Paramount+ to become the exclusive U.S. home of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL). CBS Sports will present at least 85 matches annually through 2024-2025 from the cinch Premiership – the top division of the SPFL – as well as the second-division cinch Championship and the Premier Sports Cup (aka Scottish League Cup). Coverage begins on Saturday, July 31, with select matches throughout the deal streaming exclusively on Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ subscription streaming service, and others airing exclusively on CBS Sports Network. As part of the multi-platform deal, CBS Sports will feature every Old Firm match between Rangers and Celtic, as well as a weekly program with highlights from across the league. “We are looking forward to presenting the action from the Scottish Professional Football League, highlighted by the iconic Old Firm rivalry,” said Dan Weinberg, Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS